Chronology of Seventh-day Adventist Education: 1872-1972

249 Pages·2014·8.54 MB·English

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CENTURY OF ADVENTIST EDUCATION
1872 - 1972
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Compiled by
Walton J. Brown, Ph.D.
Department of Education, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
·t. 6840 Eastern Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20012
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Foreword
.I
In anticipation of the education centennial in 1972 and the publication
of a Seventh-day Adventist chronology of education, the General Conference
Department of Education started to make inquiries of the world field for
historical facts and statistics regarding the various facets of the church
program in education. The information started to come in about a year ago.
Whlle some of the responses were quite detalled, there were others that
were rather general and indefinite. There were gaps and omissions and in
several instances conflicting statements on certain events.
In view of the limited time and the apparent cessation of incoming
materials from the field, a small committee was named with Doctor Walton
J. Brown as chairman. It was this committee's responsibility to execute
the project in spite of the lack of substantiation of certain information.
We believe that this is the first project of its kind in the denomination's
history. It is hoped that when the various educators and administrators re
view the data about their own organizations, they will notify the Department
of Education concerning any corrections and additions. They should please
include supporting evidence from as many sources as possible.
It is hoped that within the next five to ten years a revised edition may
replace this first one. It would contain not only necessary changes, but also
would be brought up to date.
This is a reference work which should be available in all of the church
institutions and education offices.
As the complier, Doctor Brown, has attempted to verify the facts and
figures from available sources. At the same time he, with the members of
the committee, aclmowledge the possibility of error as well as omissions
resulting from lack of any data.
We want to thank all the educators and institutional administrators who
assisted in making available information which has helped to make up this
chronology.
Charles B. Hirsch, Secretary
General Conference Department of Education
Preface
This is an endeavor to gather into one volume chronological informa
tion concerning the development of the Seventh-day Adventist educational
system at the time when it has completed one century of existence, beginning
with the first denominationally-sponsored elementary and secondary school
in June, 1872. No claim is laid for completeness, for other schools and
dates will surely appear which should have been included.
It will not be difficult to find inexactitudes. Too many factors have
contributed to uncertainties in dates, so that in certain places this work may
rank with early Egyptian chronology in the accuracy of dates. Pioneers,
worried about finances, the establlshment of new facilities, and overloaded
wlth work, wasted little time in recording events that now are thought impor
tant. In later years memories at times falled. Where some men occasional
ly set down records, they in later times were sometimes followed by well
intentioned, neat registrars or others who meticulously cleared out what ap
peared to them to be old, yellow papers, sending to the incinerator irreplace
able original sources. Even such sources as school bulletins at times
tended to change historical narratives from one publication to another.
T.he complier has gathered information from different kinds of sources:
School bulletins, Yearbooks, The Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia,
histories of education and of schools by various writers, original letters,
minutes of the General Conference Department of Education and of the Board
of Regents, information from division and union secretaries of education, and
other miscellaneous informants. Where he found discrepancies he at times
made a "guestimate, " occasionally indicating the difference of opinion. He
also feels that he niay have made errors both in time and in geography.
Included in this volume are events dealing with the Department of Edu
cation and practically all of the schools in the various academic levels until
around 1890. In later years emphasis has been placed on the secondary and
the higher schools, with a reference to elementary schools and junior acade
mies where these may have been forerunners. There has been no special
selective process in the schools that have been included. Information con
cerning dates when some schools ceased to operate bas been unavailable.
Dates for the beginning of schools vary. At times the word "estab
lished" has meant that the land was purchased or that a committee voted to
start a school. The word "founded" may also have different meanings. Where
possible the compiler has tried to record the date when classes actually began.
All schools are Seventh-day Adventist unless specified otherwise.
Abbreviations used are the following:
c. - .£,!!:£! (approximately).
GC - General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
NAD - North American Division.
SDA - Seventh-day Adventist
Walton J. Brown
Compiler
Contents
Page
Introduction . 3
Preface 4
Contents 5
Years 7
Schools 57
Secretaries 187
Gatherings 231
Publications 239
Periodicals 251
_r
YEARS.
Note: A more detailed description of individual schools, including their
relationship to other schools, is found in the section "Schools, 11
pages 57-186.
1853
First Seventh-day Adventist home school opened at Aaron Hilliard's home at
Buck's Bridge, New York (St. Lawrence County). Five families co
operated. Teacher: Martha Byington (Amadon), daughter of John By
ington, the first president of the General Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists.
In 1854 Lucinda Paine taught the school in the Henry Hilliard home.
In 1855 John Fletcher Byington taught the school.
1 8 54
First article by Ellen G. White warning church members to separate their
children from worldly influences. In the Review and Herald, September
19, page 46, "Duty of Parents to Their Children."
Schools opened:
A home school was opened at Jackson, Michigan, taught by a church
lady.
A four-student home school opened in the home of Josiah Hart, at
Northfield, Vermont. Was the first SDA school recorded in that
state.
1 8 55
Home school initiated by Mrs. M. M. Osgood at Battle Creek, Michigan.
1 8 57
James White wrote three articles entitled "Sabbathkeepers' Children, 11 call
._)
ing for separation from the world. In the Review and Herald, August
20, August 27, and September 3.
7
1 8 6 4
Home church school in operation at Elder F. W. Mace's "Hillside Farm, "
at Amherst, New Hampshire, possibly around this year. It was pos
sibly the first SDA school in New Hampshire, and the first SDA school
with boarding facilities. The date of opening and closing is unknown.
Hannah Hartshorn was in. charge of the school in 1865.
A school operated at Monterey, Allegan County, Michigan. Teacher:
Ambrose Coventry. A church committee controlled the school. In
1865 or 1866 Harriet K. Buck (Hattie Runnery) was the teacher.
1867
The Battle Creek, Michigan, church employed Goodloe H. Bell as a teacher
for one year
A home school was established at Monroe, Wisconsin. Teacher: Mrs.
Marian Truesdale. It was the first SDA school in Wisconsin.
1868
Bell's Select Private School operated at Battle Creek, Michigan.
1 8 7 2
Mrs. Ellen G. White had the first vision on education (January). The first
comprehensive testimony on the philosophy and aims of C4ristian edu
cation, called "Proper Education," are now found in Testimonies for
the Church, volume 3, pages 131-160, and in Counsels on Education,
pages 1-30.
The first denominationally-sponsored SDA church school (elementary and
secondary) opened at Battle Creek, Michigan, with 12 students (June 3).
Teacher: Goodloe Harper Bell.
1873
Property was purchased for the establishment of a college (De'!ember 31),
at Battle Creek, Michigan.
8
1874
The Seventh-day Adventist Educational Society was organized (March 11).
Articles of incorporation were filed with Michigan (March 16).
1 8 7 5
Goodloe H. Bell prepared the first set of books used in SDA schools to
teach Bible history. [For further chronology on publications, please
..1
see the section "Publications," pages 239-249.
Battle Creek College opened at Battle Creek, Michigan with 200 students
(January 4). It was moved to Berrien Springs in 1901.
1 8 7 7
The first college paper, a monthly, The Battle Creek College, was pub
lished (January 11). It became a quarterly, The College Record, by
July, 1878.
1 8 7 8
A church school in Missouri operated. Teacher: H. W. Carr. Until ap
proximately 1884.
1 8 8 0
Schools opened:
At Gatzian Mansion, in Portland, Oregon. Teacher: G. H. Starbuck.
.J
it operated for several years .
.I
A church school opened in the home of P. H. Cady, with 12 students, at
Poy Sippi, Wisconsin. Teacher: Miss Allie Robinson (later Mrs.
J. W. Westphal). 1884 has also been given as the date.
_j
1881
An elementary home school was established in the home of Thielen Haus, on
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1881, concluded
the banks of Walnut River, in Rush County, Kansas. It served the Ger
man membership. In 1887 it was moved to Lehigh. Later it was
transferred again to Hillsboro.
1 8 8 2
Schools opened:
Healdsburg Academy .(some spelled it Healdsburgh) opened at Healds
burg, California with 38 students (April11). It was converted into
a college in July, being chartered in the state October 2. It was
closed in 1908. It included the first church school established in
California. Teacher: Mrs. Sydney Brownsberger.
The New England School (South Lancaster Academy) opened with 8 stu
dents at South Lancaster, Massachusetts (Apri119). It included
the first church school established in Massachusetts.
A church school operated at Peoria, Texas. Teacher: Miss Maggie
Dickerson (Haynes). Others have given 1876, 1878, 1879, 1881,
and 1884 as the date. It was closed in 1893.
A church school opened at Sandusky, Ohio. Teacher: Miss Ella King.
It was the first SDA church school to operate in Ohio.
The Walla Walla church school was opened at Walla Walla, Washington.
It was forced to close by an epidemic of typhoid fever. The same
happened in 1884. This was the first church school in Washington.
1 8 8 3
Schools opened:
The Battle Creek Sanitarium School of Nursing opened at Battle Creek,
Michigan.
A church school was in operation at Coquille, Oregon. Teacher: Frank
Bunch. This was the first church school to operate in Oregon.
The first church school opened in Dronninglund, Denmark. Others
have reported the first school in Denmark as Jerslev, in 1886.
A conference church school (elementary and secondary) opened at
Rome, New York (fall). Teacher: Miss Mary Taylor. It was the
first church school in New York.
10
1884
Schools opened:
The Chicago Mission Training School for the preparation of church
workers opened at Chicago, Illinois. It was later called the Cen
tral Bible School. It operated about three months per year. It was
still functioning in 1893.
A church school was in operation at Jamaica, Vermont. Teacher:
Laura Lee. It was the first church school in Vermont.
A church school opened at South Stukely, Quebec, Canada. It was the
first church school in Canada. It operated until c.1921. Teach
er: Mary Cushing.
1 8 8 5
Schools opened:
The Scandinavian School for Danish and Norwegians opened at Chicago,
Illinois by J. E. Hansen. It was discontinued c. 1887.
A church school opened at Vilas, South Dakota. It accepted boarding
students. It was abandoned at the end of the first year. It was the
first church school in South Dakota. Teacher: S. B. Whitney.
A church school with c.15 students was in operation at Washington,
New Hampshire around this year. It met in a cooper shop on the
farm of Cyrus Farnsworth, and neighbors made fun with a sign
"Cooper University." Teacher: Mrs. Ella Overmyre.
The East Portland Preparatory School (elementary) opened with 35
students (fall), at Portland, Oregon. Mrs. D. Van Horn, teacher.
1886
Schools opened:
The German Bible School was conducted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Teacher: L. R. Conradi.
The J erslev Friscole opened at J erslev (Hellum), Denmark. Some
have indicated this was the first elementary church school estab
lished outside of the United States. Another report has given the
school at Dronnlnglund, Denmark, 1883, as the first. 1890 and
1893 have also been given for the opening of the Jerslev school.
The Milton Preparatory School (elementary) opened at Milton, Oregon.
11
1 8 8 7
The General Conference session recommended that local or church schools
be established.
The office of Secretary of Education was authorized by the church (Novem
ber 20). First secretary: W. W. Prescott. [For the complete list of
General Conference, union, and division secretaries of education
please see the section "Secretaries," pages 187-230.]
Schools opened:
Bible School for Danish-Norwegians at Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Functioned for one year. Teacher: J. G. Matteson.
The East Portland Academy at Portland, Oregon. Principal: T. H.
Starbuck.
The German Bible School at Ottawa, Kansas. It was discontinued in
1889.
A church school at Lehigh, Kansas (later moved to Hillsboro).
Teacher: H. J. Schnepper. The first German Bible School was
located at this place. The Hillsboro school was discontinued when
Union College opened in 1891.
Milton Academy with 14 students at Milton, Oregon. Teachers: Mr.
and Mrs. G. W. Colcord. The school was closed in 1892.
A church school operated in Norway for half a year. It reopened again
in 1889 and continued for several years. First teachers: Mary
Heilesen and N. P. Nelson.
A school for Norwegian colporteurs and other workers opened in Nor
way. Teacher: 0. A. Olsen. Similar "Philadelphia" schools
operated at Copenhagen, Denmark from 1889-1894.
The Peoria and Brushy Knob church schools merged into the Oak Hill,
Texas school (near Covington) which operated until the school in
Keene was started.
1 8 8 8
Mrs. E. G. White spoke in positive terms of the importance of an energetic
effort for the establishment of church schools.
The first Seventh-day Adventist Teachers' Institute convened at Battle
Creek, Michigan with an attendance of thirty (June 21-26). [For other
gatherings throughout the years please see the section, "Gatherings,"
pages 231-238.
Sch >ols opened:
A Bible School for Danish-Norwegians operated at Chicago, Illinois.
A Mission School in Copenhagen, Denmark (February to April).
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